hi everyone! this post is probably unnecessary and everyone has already figured out what i'm going to say, but i'll say it anyway. i haven't really been using this blog all that much, and i think in 2026 that will fully cease. i have been writing, but it's for different fandoms and it's not reader-insert, so i think it's time to officially retire this blog.
i'm not closing the door on reader-insert fanfiction forever, but if i do end up writing it again, it will be very few and far between, and i'll probably only post it on my ao3. the blog will remain up so people can enjoy the fics i've written in the past, but since this a sideblog, it will be moved to another primary blog in the next month or so, and i won't have access to notifications. i'll log in and check on it every once in a while, but it won't be often.
if you made it this far and wanted to keep up with me in the future, here's where you can:
i'll still have and use my main tumblr blog - that's where i reblog, gifs, textposts, art, and everything else that interests me for pretty much all my fandoms. i'm also on instagram and bsky under the same username, but i don't use those all that often.
i don't know how much overlap this will have, but if you like dimension 20, i have a d20 specific blog that i started recently! d20 fic is mostly what i've been writing these days and there are so many awesome events that i've been joining.
if you want to subscribe to my ao3, my reader-insert username is ghostofskywalker. if i ever do write more xreader fic, that's where it will go. the ao3 profile that i have for non-reader fic is here, and that's where i'll be primarily posting now. i want to thank everyone who ever commented something nice on one of my fics, or anyone who i've had positive interactions with on here, it's meant the world to me :)
*as of january 25, 2026, this blog has officially been moved from my primary blog. asks have been turned off and messaging limited, since i will probably only logging once or twice a year to check things.*
hi everyone! this post is probably unnecessary and everyone has already figured out what i'm going to say, but i'll say it anyway. i haven't really been using this blog all that much, and i think in 2026 that will fully cease. i have been writing, but it's for different fandoms and it's not reader-insert, so i think it's time to officially retire this blog.
i'm not closing the door on reader-insert fanfiction forever, but if i do end up writing it again, it will be very few and far between, and i'll probably only post it on my ao3. the blog will remain up so people can enjoy the fics i've written in the past, but since this a sideblog, it will be moved to another primary blog in the next month or so, and i won't have access to notifications. i'll log in and check on it every once in a while, but it won't be often.
if you made it this far and wanted to keep up with me in the future, here's where you can:
my main tumblr blog is myshipsintheharbor - that's where i reblog, gifs, textposts, art, and everything else that interests me for pretty much all my fandoms. i'm also on instagram and bsky under the same username, but i don't use those all that often.
i don't know how much overlap this will have, but if you like dimension 20, i have a d20 specific blog that i started recently, it's wisconsonptoad! d20 fic is mostly what i've been writing these days and there are so many awesome events that i've been joining.
if you want to subscribe to my ao3, my reader-insert username is ghostofskywalker. if i ever do write more xreader fic, that's where it will go. the ao3 profile that i have for non-reader fic is tiredmoonlight, and that's where i'll be primarily posting now.
like i mentioned, i'm not moving this blog right away so i'll still see any questions and notifs that come through, but i want to thank everyone who ever commented something nice on one of my fics, or anyone who i've had positive interactions with on here, it's meant the world to me :)
hi everyone! this post is probably unnecessary and everyone has already figured out what i'm going to say, but i'll say it anyway. i haven't really been using this blog all that much, and i think in 2026 that will fully cease. i have been writing, but it's for different fandoms and it's not reader-insert, so i think it's time to officially retire this blog.
i'm not closing the door on reader-insert fanfiction forever, but if i do end up writing it again, it will be very few and far between, and i'll probably only post it on my ao3. the blog will remain up so people can enjoy the fics i've written in the past, but since this a sideblog, it will be moved to another primary blog in the next month or so, and i won't have access to notifications. i'll log in and check on it every once in a while, but it won't be often.
if you made it this far and wanted to keep up with me in the future, here's where you can:
my main tumblr blog is myshipsintheharbor - that's where i reblog, gifs, textposts, art, and everything else that interests me for pretty much all my fandoms. i'm also on instagram and bsky under the same username, but i don't use those all that often.
i don't know how much overlap this will have, but if you like dimension 20, i have a d20 specific blog that i started recently, it's wisconsonptoad! d20 fic is mostly what i've been writing these days and there are so many awesome events that i've been joining.
if you want to subscribe to my ao3, my reader-insert username is ghostofskywalker. if i ever do write more xreader fic, that's where it will go. the ao3 profile that i have for non-reader fic is tiredmoonlight, and that's where i'll be primarily posting now.
like i mentioned, i'm not moving this blog right away so i'll still see any questions and notifs that come through, but i want to thank everyone who ever commented something nice on one of my fics, or anyone who i've had positive interactions with on here, it's meant the world to me :)
Thanks to all of the wonderful writers who have shared their work! If for whatever reason you don't want to be included in this list, let me know and take you off. Newest additions will be at the bottom!
~ Side Effects of a Night Out May Include: Drunkenly Confessing Your Love by @ghostofskywalker
After drinking a little too much on a night out, the 501st call in Rex to make sure you get home safe. You make a pretty big confession in your inebriated state.
~ Falling Through the Snow by @secondratefiction
No summary but guys TRUST me it's SO SO SO GOOD!!
If you missed some of the amazing stories written for this event, here is a list of them, all organized by character and in alphabetical order by title. You can also access a collection of those who posted their work on AO3 HERE! Itâs still open in case anyone ends up posting there in the future.
Make sure to show some love to all the authors below :)
Light at the End of the Tunnel by @captainsophiestark
Cross The Hairs With Boughs of Folly by @apocalyp-tech-a
Late Night Competition by @ghostofskywalker
The Quiet In Between by @jetii
A Feast For You And Me by @captainpains
The Way to a Man's Heart by @ladysongmaster
Sweetness for Hardcase by @goblininawig
Ryloth's Reunion by @intricatechaosofyou
What You Mean to Me by @fashionablyfyrdraaca
Happy Coincidences by @snippy-tano
Take A Drive by @writersnook11
Falling Through The Snow by @secondratefiction
Side Effects of a Night Out May Include: Drunkenly Confessing Your Love by @ghostofskywalker
This work was created for the 2025 @cloneficgiftexchange, for @secondratefiction! This is my first time ever writing for Cody, and I'll admit, I was a little bit nervous. I'm pretty happy with how it turned out though! I hope you like it!
Fandom: Star Wars
Summary: Cody's SO is a Jedi, assigned to work with the 212th as of a few months ago. When the 212th links up with the 501st for the first time since adding a new Jedi, Cody needs to make sure his SO's prepared for the chaos that's coming.
Word Count: 1,536
Category: Fluff, Humor
Putting work into an AI program without permission is illegal. You do not have my permission. Do not do it.
âWeâre in route to you now. Should be with you in about five hours.â
I nodded from my place between Obi-Wan and Cody, the three of us staring at the holographic version of Anakin Skywalker in front of us. I heard Cody sigh from beside me as Obi-Wan responded.
âWeâll be waiting for you as planned.â
Anakin nodded. âIâll keep you updated if anything changes.â
Obi-Wan nodded, and then a moment later, the hologram shut off.
âCody, you know the drill,â Obi-Wan said, turning to face the two of us. âPrepare to link up with the 501stâs fleet five hours from now, and keep your communicator on for any updates or delays.â
âYes, General.â
Obi-Wan gave us both a smile and a nod, then headed off the bridge. I moved to follow him, but Cody caught my arm before I could.
I turned to give him a raised-eyebrow look, only to find him looking much more visibly stressed than Iâd seen him in a long time. And Iâd seen Obi-Wan make him visibly stressed often.
âAre you okay?â I asked, brow furrowing as I took a step closer to Cody. I heard the door close somewhere behind us as Obi-Wan headed off to do whatever he needed to do, but my eyes never left Codyâs face.
Weâd first met a long time ago, before Iâd even been assigned to work regularly with Obi-Wan, when Cody had been visiting Coruscant on shore leave. Weâd absolutely hit it off, and had been inseparable for the few weeks heâd been on-planet. When Iâd been assigned to the 212th to assist General Kenobi, alongside Cody, Iâd taken it as a sign from the Force that we made an unbeatable team, and nothing the Jedi could say would be enough to keep me away from him.
Although, we did a much better job of hiding it than Skywalker and his wife.
Cody sighed heavily, bringing me back into the moment as he looked away from the door Obi-Wan had disappeared through to meet my eyes.
âIâm fine, for now. ButâŚâ He shook his head, and I frowned, slipping my arm out of his grip to take his hand instead. âYou havenât seen the kind of chaos the 501st brings in the field yet, have you?â
âNo, canât say I have. Iâve heard some stories here and there, but⌠donât tell me thatâs what this expression is about?â
Cody sighed again. âUndeniably, theyâre a talented group, and they accomplish things that should otherwise be impossible.â
âBut? Is Skywalker really that bad in the field?â
âItâs not just him. He pulls focus, maybe, but Ahsoka, Rex, and every other member of that unit⌠theyâre chaos magnets, and theyâre happy about it.â
I snorted. âCody-â
âI know youâre well aware of how insane it can get with us in the 212th. General Kenobiâs a lot more chaotic than his reputation, sure enough. But the 501st is alwaysâŚÂ so much worse. If weâre going to get through this with our ship intact, much less our General and our men⌠Iâm going to need all hands on deck high coordination from you.â
ââŚIs it really that bad?â
Cody gave me an exhausted look Iâd only ever seen from him once or twice, usually after Obi-Wan did something that made me seriously question how he got his reputation as calm, level-headed, or rational. I took a deep breath, then squeezed his hand.
âWell⌠consider me warned. Iâll be ready for whatever chaos the 501st bring. No matter what, weâve got this.â
****************
âCODY! COME IN!â
âIâm here! Problem on deck seven is dealt with, Iâm heading to you now!â
I paused for a split second, just long enough to close my eyes and let out a sigh of relief. We werenât out of the woods yet, but Codyâs comms had cut out to static and shouting about five minutes ago, and Iâd been toeing the line on panic the longer his radio silence stretched on.
I didnât have time for a longer sigh of relief, though. We were nowhere near out of the woods yet.
My eyes snapped open, I ignited my lightsaber, and then I charged around the nearest corner to continue dealing with the chaos the 501st had managed to bring with them.
Somehow, in the five hours between our call on the bridge and the arrival of the 501st, theyâd managed to fly their capital ship through a dormant fleet of vulture droids that had apparently lost contact with whatever Separatist apparatus had been controlling them. Theyâd been floating in space in a giant debris cloud, completely neutralized, until the 501st had flown straight through and managed to wake them all up.
Theyâd covered the remaining distance to us as quickly as possible, giving us a heads up about the problem about thirty minutes before their arrival. Now, like Cody had predicted, we were fighting just to keep our ship in one piece.
I shouted as I turned down a hallway where three of the droids had burrowed deep into our ship, and were actively trying to keep tearing in further. I rushed them, lightsaber flashing, and managed to take down the first one before the others even recognized my presence.
A second later, Cody appeared at the end of the hallway, blaster blazing. Like weâd been training for it all our lives, we synced up perfectly, making short work of the other two vulture droids.
âThis is ridiculous!â I shouted, in lieu of a hello. âHow did they even find these things?â
Cody just shook his head. âLike I said, theyâre chaos magnets. Any updates on whether these droids reconnected to a Separatist control station?â
âNo, but I donât think so. Theyâre not acting with enough coordination for that. Itâs like Skywalker and his crew drove their ship through the crowd and flipped every single droidâs switch to âdestory as much as possibleâ at once.â
Cody snorted. ââŚIâm not sure Iâd be surprised if theyâd somehow managed that.â
I huffed a laugh, the sheer insanity of the situation getting to me. I made eye contact with Cody, and then I couldnât hold back a wave of laughter anymore. Even Cody smiled, shaking his head like he also couldnât quite believe the situation weâd found ourselves in.
âNo wonder you looked so exhausted the first time I met you,â I finally managed, taking deep breaths to recover from the laughter. âIâd chalked it up to being Obi-Wanâs fault, but now I know the truth. And I know why heâs got such a shining reputation for level-headedness and anti-recklessness that doesnât fit him. Itâs because Skywalker, Ahsoka, and the 501st are absolutely insane outliers destroying everything in their paths.â
Cody snorted. âWell⌠on the bright side, lights are still on.â
As if heâd willed it into being, the entire ship went dark the split second the words had left Codyâs mouth. In the now-eerie glow of my lightsaber, the only light source on the entire deck as far as I could tell, I shot Cody a look.
ââŚYeah. I shouldâve known better than to say that out loud.â
I couldnât help it. I started laughing again. This time, Cody actually joined me, shaking his head at himself. I managed to straighten up after a few moments, and I nudged his shoulder with my own, my lightsaber still casting a faint glow on both of our faces. He sighed, and leaned right back into me.
âHonestly, Codes, you donât need to sweat it. Yeah, that wasnât your finest move, but look around you. By comparison, youâre literally infallible.â
Cody snorted, then took a deep breath and let out a heavy sigh.
âWe need to get moving again. Letâs head down to the electronics bay with your lightsaber, see if we canât get power restored.â
âSounds like a good plan to me. Just give me one second.â
Cody paused, standing just over my shoulder as I lifted my arm to type something into the localized communicator and computer. I waited just long enough to see my message had sent, then looked up at Cody with a smile.
âOkay. Letâs do this.â
ââŚWhat did you do?â asked Cody, the two of us falling into step reflexively as we headed for the electronics bay. I shot him a grin.
âI just put in an official shore leave request for the two of us. Felt like we could both use a light at the end of this literal dark tunnel of chaos, you know?â
Cody barked another laugh, and even though he shook his head, I could see the somewhat rare grin that I absolutely loved on his face.
âThatâs a fantastic idea. All the more reason to get this taken care of quickly, so we can get out of here.â
The two of us shared one last grin in the glow of my lightsaber, before our focus shifted to the bright red lights that had just appeared ahead of us, marking another round of vulture droids. Not even the chaos of the 501st stood a chance when Cody and I stood shoulder to shoulder, taking on all-comers, together.
sophie this was so fucking cute omg!!!! the subtle shade at anakin's inability to hide his relationship had me rolling đ and of course the chaos of the 501st is iconic to read about, even if i could see cody gaining spiritual gray hairs with every passing second
this is so so lovely and you wrote cody perfectly, i love him sm <3
Side Effects of a Night Out May Include: Drunkenly Confessing Your Love
Captain Rex/Reader
Words: 1,824
Summary: After drinking a little too much on a night out, the 501st call in Rex to make sure you get home safe. You make a pretty big confession in your inebriated state.
Prompt: "haven't you figured out yet that i love you?"
Note: written for the @cloneficgiftexchange 2025 life day exchange, which i ran! this prompt came from @goblininawig - i hope you enjoy it!!
Clone Troopers Masterlist
The drinks at 79âs may be watered down to the point of tastelessness, but when ordered by a clone they were free, which meant that nights out with the 501st always went a specific way, and if you all drank enough, good times could almost certainly be ensured.
Tonight in particular, you wanted nothing more than to forget about all your troubles for a few hours, to let loose in a way that a GAR medic was not technically allowed to do when she's on the clock. At this point, you had lost count of how many glasses you emptied, because Fives and Jesse simply kept bringing you a new drink every time you finished the last. Laughing with the men in blue felt good, as did dragging them all up one by one to dance to the thumping beat of the music. Every single trooper in that room had the same goal as you when it came to leaving behind the horrors of the war, so no one commented on the excessive amount of liquor everyone consumed or the way you all grew rowdier by the second.
âI think I want anotherrrr,â you shouted over the music to Jesse, who was just as far gone as you were. He nodded dutifully, and you watched as he headed in the direction of the bar. However, the drink acquisition was foiled by Kix, who took one look at you from across the room and simply shook his head.
Soon, your fellow medic was standing right in front of you. âAre you alright?â he asked. âI donât think Iâve ever seen you drink this much.â
ââM Fiiiine,â you said, but Kix didnât miss the slur in your words or the glassy gaze you wore. âWhereâs Jesse? I asked him to get me something to drink.â
Kix shook his head. âIâm cutting you off for the night, vodâika,â he said, and even in your drunken state you didnât miss the exasperation in his voice. âYouâre wasted.â
âAm not!â
âYou are, and Iâm not going to have this argument with you right now.â
Kix led you back to the 501stâs booth and (very gently) shoved you down on the bench before pulling out his comlink and walking away. Fives was sitting across from you with a smirk on his face, and you tried to swipe his drink to get a few last sips. But of course, he pulled it from your reach before you could get a grip on the transparisteel.
When Kix returned, he had a solemn look on his face. âRex will be here in a few moments,â he said to Fives, whose smile grew in a way you didnât quite understand. âHeâll make sure our dear medic makes it home safely.â
âI told you, âm fine,â you said tersely, crossing your arms as a pout appeared on your face. âNo one has to take care of me.â
âWe just want to make sure youâre okay,â Kix said, with the same tone that he often used when treating his brothers that got injured doing something stupid. Deep down you knew he cared, but you also wanted to punch him for cutting you off.
âRex would kill us if anything happened while we were out tonight,â Fives added sagely. âTo you especially.â
You didnât catch the way his eyes glinted with mischief, you were too busy mentally preparing to see Rex. To say you had a crush on the clone captain would be something of an understatement, and unfortunately many of the men under his command seemed to have noticed your feelings for their superior. And as much as you denied every accusation, it never seemed to convince them of your lie.
You had practically fallen asleep on the table by the time Rex arrived, but even through your drunken haze you could sense his presence. âYou look like you had fun tonight,â he commented warmly, as you pulled yourself out of the booth (you were only slightly struggling to stand, thank you very much).
âWe all did,â you said, your voice catching on the last word and giving way to a quiet hiccup.
Rex followed your gaze to where an (equally drunk) Jesse and Hardcase were singing along to the music at the top of their lungs, and he just rolled his eyes. âI can see that. I doubt tomorrow will be any kind of productive.â
âNope!â You laughed, latching onto his arm as he started to lead you towards the exit. Even just holding onto him made you appreciate how strong he was, and you took a deep breath of the chilly Coruscanti night air when you finally stepped outside, catching the scent of his soap in the process. Maker, he smelled good.
Thankfully, your barracks for this leave period were right next to his, so you didnât have to give any directions on the way back through Coruscantâs streets. And once you plugged in your GAR-given code (it took a few tries) the durasteel door slid open to reveal your room.
After helping you sit down on the bed, Rex busied himself with ensuring that you had water and painkillers within easy reach (because, in his words, you were going to need them at some point or another). It was easy to stare at him as he did this, the way he commanded the room (even with no other troopers present) was both admirable and incredibly attractive.
He came over to sit next to you after he was finished, a solemn look on his face. âAre you alright?â he asked.
âI already told Kix that I was-â you started to babble, but the look on his face cut you off.
âFrom what Kix told me, he had never seen you drink that much. I just want to make sure there wasnât something I could do to help.â
You made a sound of acknowledgement, which your liquor-addled brain apparently thought was enough of a response before you could lean in to kiss him. It was only supposed to land on his cheek (you swear), but Rex pulled back slightly before any contact could be made. You could hear him say your name in a quiet voice, no doubt questioning what just happened.
It was almost a good thing that the fatigue taking over your body had now combined with the copious amount of alcohol you consumed, because you didnât feel as embarrassed as you certainly would have if you were sober. ââM sorry, I know you donât feel that way.â
âAnd what way is that?â he asked, with a look on his face you couldnât quite read.
âLove,â you responded, as if it was obvious. "Haven't you figured out yet that I love you? Youâre so smart I thought it was obvious."
Rexâs face shifted, and he awkwardly ran his hand over the cropped curls at the top of his head. âWith the amount you drank this evening, you could have fallen in love with anyone.â
You huffed. âNo, I wouldnât have. You may think youâre nothing special, but that couldnât be further from the truth. Itâs cruel that the only time I got the courage to try and kiss you I wonât even remember it.â You did your best to keep your expression neutral, but you were sure the hurt on your face was visible.
There was a long bout of silence, and then Rex spoke. âIf you remember this conversation in the morning, we can have a do-over.â
You nodded at his words, the creeping tiredness you felt earlier now having taken over every part of your brain. It was heartbreaking really, how quickly you managed to fall asleep when he was near. And as Rex helped take off your shoes and made sure you were comfortable where you were laying, you couldnât help but think about how much you wanted to remember every single moment.
***
When you opened your eyes the next morning, you had one thought. It was all that you could focus on, the only thing you wanted to address in these first moments after your liquor-induced bacchanal of the previous night.
This room was too kriffing bright.
Squinting at the light coming in from the window, you groaned as you brought your hands up to your head, your brain spinning as all the memories came rushing back. The drinking, the dancing, Kix cutting you off and calling Rex to escort you home.
Rex.
You didnât have to look too hard to find the captain, he had fallen asleep on your couch. Something tugged at your heart when you saw him there, slightly too tall for the GAR-issued piece of furniture, but still he stayed to make sure you were okay. Then you remembered what he said right before you had fallen asleep, and your mind began to race as you turned away from him. Did he mean what he said, or was that simply something he told you in order to get you to stop talking to him? What if he thought it so unlikely that you would remember last night that he made a promise he never intended to keep? What if-
âI can practically hear you thinking from all the way over here,â a voice interrupted, as Rex yawned and got up off the couch. âIs everything alright?â
Maybe there was a way to broach the topic in a more sensible way, but your mind was not in a place to really make those plans at the moment. âI remember what you told me,â you blurted out, eyes wide. âIâm sorry if I made you uncomfortable, and you donât have to do anything if you donât want to. Youâre technically my superior, I wouldnât want to make anything awkwa-â
You didnât get to finish your thought before Rex had closed the gap between you and leaned in, placing his lips on yours. The kiss was timid at first, but you deepened it, pulling him closer to you as you smiled against his lips. You had imagined what it would be like to kiss Rex on multiple occasions, but nothing you had ever dreamed came close to the real thing.
When you had to break apart for air, you could see his pupils blown, and you were sure your lips were at least slightly swollen. âThank you,â you whispered, placing a soft kiss on his cheek. âFor taking care of me last night.â
âYou donât need to thank me,â he said softly. âI will always take care of you.â
âAnd I will always take care of you,â you said, reaching down to take his hand. âSpeaking of, how about we go back to bed? Sleeping on that couch could not have been comfortable.â
âCyare, that sounds like a wonderful idea.â
All the liquor you drank last night only continued to exact its revenge, but the pain dissipated more and more with every second you spent in Rexâs arms.
Life Day Exchange 2025
@ghostofskywalker @cloneficgiftexchange
Word Count: ~950
Tags/Warnings: Kix x F!Reader, fluff, brief mention of war & loss, snow, holiday themes/events
Summary: You and Kix take a drive to visit family for Life Day, and it gives you time to think.
AI Notice: Any and all use of my work in training AI is expressly prohibited. Do not use my work in training artificial intelligence. Do not feed sections of my work to artificial intelligence or chat bots.
Gift Note: Happy Life Day, Ghost! This is not nearly as long as I wanted it to be, mainly because I've hit a bit of a wall creatively in the past few months, but I really hope you like it! Thank you for putting this exchange together! <3
Snowflakes peppered the windshield, swept away every few seconds by the wipers. Frost clung to the side mirrors, decorating them like cliche holophoto frames. You looked to the treeline through your window and watched evergreens fly by in a blur.Â
Somewhere behind your thoughts, Kix rambled on about some medical journal or other. You didnât zone out intentionallyâno, you never didâbut it was rare you ever got to leave the city, and the landscape was mesmerizing.Â
A chirp from the GPS drew your attention back to the road. âRight."
âSo you agree? I knew it wasnât just me.â
âNo, make a right!âÂ
Kix all but slammed on the brakes, flicking the turn indicator on at the last second before he swung the speeder through the turn.Â
You clung to the door handle and leaned into the turn, releasing a breath once the speeder straightened out.
"Little warning next time!" Kix huffed from the drivers' seat.
"Sorry," you sighed, fighting the upturn of your mouth.
Kix chuckled under his breath. "Add a tally."
You snapped your head to give him an offended look. "What?! That does not count."
"Does so."
"Does not!"
"You zoned out again!"
"And you rambled! Again!"
"Still counts for a tally."
You puffed in resignation, sinking marginally further into your seat. Begrudgingly, you swiped tabs on your datapad and marked a hash under your name. A proverbial "swear jar" of sorts. You shot a glance over at Kix, making sure his eyes were squarely on the road before ticking one under his name, too.
Another chuckle rumbled from Kix and you winced, looking back to him. His eyes met yours in a brief, knowing look before he turned back to the road. Your lips tugged up a grin. You left his tally there.
You both fell into a comfortable silence, letting the next hour pass in a blur of white and green as holiday music floated from the radio. The sun sank lower over the horizon, casting a golden light over the forests on either side of you.
Kix shifted where he sat, popping one arm over the wheel while the other dropped to the armrest. You leaned back in your seat and rested your head against it, looking over at him lazily.
From your angle, the lines blooming over his brow appeared softer than they ever had before. You couldn't be sure if that was the holiday glow taking effect, or if it was the end of the war finally hitting him.
Here you were, driving down wooded backroads on some outer-rim planet to visit his brother and his wife. Not down to another bunk in the barracks, not to some other room or corridor on Kamino, but to a whole house that his brother and sister-in-law owned.
There was no need to hide from the war, pretending it wasn't there. No more brothers dying on the front. No more hiding in the shadows, no risk of being found out, no being careful where you went just because he was a clone; none of it. You and Kix could be together openly. He was a legally protected person. Free.
And freedom was looking good on Kix.
His face had softened. His shoulders and chest seemed more relaxed. He actually bobbed his head along to the music, humming occasionally.
The sight alone made your heart swell.
How lucky were you to have him?
You directed him to another turn, this time down a dirt road. Golden sunlight filtered through the trees, dappling against everything it touched.
His hand moved back to the armrest. As it did, you reached yours out to grasp the underside of his fingers. He glanced over at you, a curious glint taking to his eyes, but he said nothing. Instead, he wove his fingers between yours, holding your hand firmly in his.
Stars were beginning to twinkle above by the time you reached the end of the road. Kix slowed the speeder when fence line came into view, bringing it to a stop at the end of the driveway.
Your boots crunched against snow as you stepped out. Fat flakes drifted from above and landed with light plicks against your coat while you put it on.
Closing your door behind you, you took careful steps to the back of the speeder. Kix balanced a short stack of colorfully-wrapped gifts in one arm and closed the trunk with the other. It slammed shut, pushing a rush of air out. Flakes scurried around each other, catching on Kix's coat as they flew.
You watched several climb higher than the rest, mesmerized once again. They slowed and started their descent, drifting back down over him. While he shuffled the gifts around, flake after flake struck his clean-shaven head, melting instantly. Some caught in his eyebrows, some in his lashes.
Your eyes shifted down to his, where you realized he had settled and was watching you. Your breath caught in your throat for a moment, each of you locked into each other.
Another stray flake landed on his eyelashes and triggered a blink. A ball of warmth settled in your chest as a grin spread across your lips.
He looked back at you, confused. "What?"
You shook your head and hummed, stepping towards him. You lifted your arms and pulled his beanie over his head, making sure to get the tops of his ears in.
His brow furrowed in slight confusion, but he said nothing else of it as you stepped away from the speeder and off toward the house. A lopsided smile crossed Kix's lips while he stood in place. A moment later, he followed your lead up to the door.
this is so lovely, thank you so much for writing it!! kix deserves all the relaxation time in the world, i love the bickering between him and the reader and the use of the prompt (i am a terrible navigator to drive with so it felt so true for the reader to be the same way!). it's so fluffy and soft and the perfect thing to read on this cold afternoon <3
Summary: Your competitive spirit grows as you accept Crosshair's challenge of a race through the streets of Coruscant.
Prompt: "this is dangerous." - "that's why you like it, isn't it?"
Note: written for the @cloneficgiftexchange 2025 life day exchange, which i ran! this prompt came from @intricatechaosofyou - your prompt was so much fun and i hope you enjoy <3
Clone Troopers Masterlist
It all started in 79's, as countless bad ideas have before.
"You wouldn't make it through a quarter of the Boonta Eve Classic."
Crosshair raised his eyebrows, taking a slow sip of his drink as he stared at you. "And what makes you so confident that you would?" he said, the ghost of a smile starting to peek through the perpetual frown you had always seen him wear. It was just you and him at the table now, and both of you were a few drinks in, allowing your competitive streak and his goading instincts to emerge.
"I grew up racing those courses, both day and night," you said. "My first job was for a nearby mechanic, so not only could I build a pod in my sleep, but I'd beat you in a race any day."
"My sense of sight has been specifically engineered to be the best," he responded. "I doubt that highly."
You laughed. "Please, you may have good eyesight, but it's not as good as Hunter's. And I don't need advanced senses to win. Podracing is about feeling. It's about knowing when to slam the accelerator and when to let the wind do your work for you."
Crosshair's mouth finally curved into a full smile. "You sound like a Jedi."
"Well, maybe they're right about some things," you responded.
"Maybe we should test our theory."
"And how exactly do you plan on podracing in the middle of Coruscant?"
You could see the scheming look in his eyes as he smiled. "Word among the regs is that the bartender on shift tonight knows where you can find an upgraded speeder bike, and that you can rent one for a few credits a night."
Maybe it was the spotchka talking, or maybe it was just every bad idea that you've ever had all rolled into one, but you downed the rest of your drink and nodded. "Okay, so what are you going to give me when I win?"
"Don't you mean what are you going to give me when I win?" You rolled your eyes, and he spoke again before you could respond. "How about the winner takes the loser out to dinner? Just the two of us, so you don't have to foot the bill for Wrecker's appetite."
You weren't proud of it, but a few butterflies began to flutter in your stomach when he said just the two of us. The fact that you were harboring a crush on the squad's sniper wasn't an easy thing to hide when you spent your time around people with advanced abilities, but you thought you had been pretty successful so far. So instead of focusing on the fact that this would be the closest thing to a date you could possibly think of, you steered the conversation back to the impending competition. "You seem a little too confident that I'm going to be the one paying."
(Truth be told, you'd pay for dinner even if you won, because you knew the few credits he had were earned in back-alley gambling games, but right now, this was about the principle of it all).
Crosshair feigned offense at your comment. "I try to do something nice, and this is the response I get?"
Laughter bubbled from your lips. "Just get us some speeder bikes, so we can settle this argument once and for all."
The mechanisms and controls of a speeder bike were definitely different from the racing pods you were used to growing up, but after a good look at the buttons and levers, it didn't take long to get the hang of things. And after confirming the best course for a race with the Rodian that rented you the bikes, it was all coming together.
It was hard to deny the glint of excitement on your face as you revved the engine of the bike and turned to glance over at Crosshair. "Get ready to lose."
He just raised his eyebrows at you. "You know this is dangerous, right?"
"Of course," you said nonchalantly. "After all, that's why you like it, isn't it?"
You took his silence as confirmation of your theory.
By the time you were zooming through the streets of Coruscant, the telltale adrenaline of racing returned to your body. You could see him a little farther ahead of you, but the fact that you were in second place didn't really worry you right now. After all, if there were any metaphorical bumps in the road, he'd be the one to encounter them first.
You overtook him for the first time on a curve, and slowed the bike down for a fleeting moment, just enough time to send a slightly arrogant smile his way. You couldn't focus on the expression he returned with for long, but you knew what the two of you were doing. From the moment you started going on missions as the Bad Batch's regular mechanic, you knew that perhaps the most obvious thing you shared with the squad's sniper was a wicked competitive streak.
Coruscant was beautiful at night, but you barely noticed the glittering lights and towering buildings as you shot through the air, effortlessly dodging other speeders and ships. That was one thing that made this different from podracing: usually, the only people on a course were the people in the race.
You could hear the sound of another engine behind you, and Crosshair's bike was inching up to pull ahead of you once more. A pretty sharp turn was coming up, and an idea flashed in your mind (that some might have suggested was cheating, but you didn't really think so).
Instead of weaving in and out of alleyways, you simply pulled up on the controls and maneuvered the speeder bike upwards, joining a flowing line of traffic above you.
Crosshair caught onto your plan at the last second, and you could see in the rear view mirror that he had taken the same path.
Oh well, at least there was a little more distance between the two of you now.
You dipped back down when the labyrinth of alleyways ended, and you knew you were coming up on the end of the "course," an old diner that you've eaten at a few times in your time on Coruscant. Crosshair had somehow managed to catch up to you, and you could almost feel him breathing down your neck.
When he started to urge his speeder bike ahead of yours, you knew that you were not about to let that happen.
The Rodian had warned you not to let the speed dial on the bike get above the third notch, or the speeder became a lot harder to control. Now though, you didn't have time to question whether or not it was a good idea, you just pushed the accelerator even further than you had the whole race.
There was no finish line, no painted marker to end the race or ribbon to burst through, but you knew that your speeder had crossed the agreed-upon point before Crosshair's, even if the difference was miniscule.
By the time you had slowed the bike to a stop (and almost fell off, due to your extra acceleration), your legs felt like they were made of jelly and the wind had whipped against your face for so long you thought your nose might never recover from the chill.
But despite all that, the smile on your face might as well have been plastered on. "HA!" you called, the moment Crosshair approached you. "I won!"
"Only because you cheated."
"I didn't cheat."
Crosshair laughed, and you were struck by how much you enjoyed the sight. "Really? I don't think your little detour was originally part of the race."
The words may have sounded angry, but you knew him well enough at this point to know that he wasn't. "You followed me!"
He laughed. "And yet I still won."
Your jaw dropped open. "If you think you actually w-"
However, you didn't exactly get a chance to finish your sentence, because he had closed the gap between you and pressed his lips to yours.
It took a moment for you to register what had just happened, but the moment you did, your arms moved to wrap around his neck and pull him closer. The kiss was electric, filled with all the leftover adrenaline from your race through the city and every ounce of emotion you had kept hidden from him from the moment you met.
When you finally had to pull apart for air, you could see that his lips were slightly swollen and you could guess that yours looked the same way. "What was that for?" you asked playfully.
Crosshair shrugged. "I had to get you to shut up somehow."
You playfully rolled your eyes. "All this to deny the fact that I actually won that race? A little desperate, huh Crosshair?"
"Among other things."
"Oh? Like what?"
He smiled, leaning down to place feather-light kisses on your cheeks and lips before pulling away again. "Maybe I just wanted an excuse to kiss you."
Your heart soared as you took in the explicit confirmation that he felt the same way you did. "Well then, feel free to make that excuse any time you like."
Side Effects of a Night Out May Include: Drunkenly Confessing Your Love
Captain Rex/Reader
Words: 1,824
Summary: After drinking a little too much on a night out, the 501st call in Rex to make sure you get home safe. You make a pretty big confession in your inebriated state.
Prompt: "haven't you figured out yet that i love you?"
Note: written for the @cloneficgiftexchange 2025 life day exchange, which i ran! this prompt came from @goblininawig - i hope you enjoy it!!
Clone Troopers Masterlist
The drinks at 79âs may be watered down to the point of tastelessness, but when ordered by a clone they were free, which meant that nights out with the 501st always went a specific way, and if you all drank enough, good times could almost certainly be ensured.
Tonight in particular, you wanted nothing more than to forget about all your troubles for a few hours, to let loose in a way that a GAR medic was not technically allowed to do when she's on the clock. At this point, you had lost count of how many glasses you emptied, because Fives and Jesse simply kept bringing you a new drink every time you finished the last. Laughing with the men in blue felt good, as did dragging them all up one by one to dance to the thumping beat of the music. Every single trooper in that room had the same goal as you when it came to leaving behind the horrors of the war, so no one commented on the excessive amount of liquor everyone consumed or the way you all grew rowdier by the second.
âI think I want anotherrrr,â you shouted over the music to Jesse, who was just as far gone as you were. He nodded dutifully, and you watched as he headed in the direction of the bar. However, the drink acquisition was foiled by Kix, who took one look at you from across the room and simply shook his head.
Soon, your fellow medic was standing right in front of you. âAre you alright?â he asked. âI donât think Iâve ever seen you drink this much.â
ââM Fiiiine,â you said, but Kix didnât miss the slur in your words or the glassy gaze you wore. âWhereâs Jesse? I asked him to get me something to drink.â
Kix shook his head. âIâm cutting you off for the night, vodâika,â he said, and even in your drunken state you didnât miss the exasperation in his voice. âYouâre wasted.â
âAm not!â
âYou are, and Iâm not going to have this argument with you right now.â
Kix led you back to the 501stâs booth and (very gently) shoved you down on the bench before pulling out his comlink and walking away. Fives was sitting across from you with a smirk on his face, and you tried to swipe his drink to get a few last sips. But of course, he pulled it from your reach before you could get a grip on the transparisteel.
When Kix returned, he had a solemn look on his face. âRex will be here in a few moments,â he said to Fives, whose smile grew in a way you didnât quite understand. âHeâll make sure our dear medic makes it home safely.â
âI told you, âm fine,â you said tersely, crossing your arms as a pout appeared on your face. âNo one has to take care of me.â
âWe just want to make sure youâre okay,â Kix said, with the same tone that he often used when treating his brothers that got injured doing something stupid. Deep down you knew he cared, but you also wanted to punch him for cutting you off.
âRex would kill us if anything happened while we were out tonight,â Fives added sagely. âTo you especially.â
You didnât catch the way his eyes glinted with mischief, you were too busy mentally preparing to see Rex. To say you had a crush on the clone captain would be something of an understatement, and unfortunately many of the men under his command seemed to have noticed your feelings for their superior. And as much as you denied every accusation, it never seemed to convince them of your lie.
You had practically fallen asleep on the table by the time Rex arrived, but even through your drunken haze you could sense his presence. âYou look like you had fun tonight,â he commented warmly, as you pulled yourself out of the booth (you were only slightly struggling to stand, thank you very much).
âWe all did,â you said, your voice catching on the last word and giving way to a quiet hiccup.
Rex followed your gaze to where an (equally drunk) Jesse and Hardcase were singing along to the music at the top of their lungs, and he just rolled his eyes. âI can see that. I doubt tomorrow will be any kind of productive.â
âNope!â You laughed, latching onto his arm as he started to lead you towards the exit. Even just holding onto him made you appreciate how strong he was, and you took a deep breath of the chilly Coruscanti night air when you finally stepped outside, catching the scent of his soap in the process. Maker, he smelled good.
Thankfully, your barracks for this leave period were right next to his, so you didnât have to give any directions on the way back through Coruscantâs streets. And once you plugged in your GAR-given code (it took a few tries) the durasteel door slid open to reveal your room.
After helping you sit down on the bed, Rex busied himself with ensuring that you had water and painkillers within easy reach (because, in his words, you were going to need them at some point or another). It was easy to stare at him as he did this, the way he commanded the room (even with no other troopers present) was both admirable and incredibly attractive.
He came over to sit next to you after he was finished, a solemn look on his face. âAre you alright?â he asked.
âI already told Kix that I was-â you started to babble, but the look on his face cut you off.
âFrom what Kix told me, he had never seen you drink that much. I just want to make sure there wasnât something I could do to help.â
You made a sound of acknowledgement, which your liquor-addled brain apparently thought was enough of a response before you could lean in to kiss him. It was only supposed to land on his cheek (you swear), but Rex pulled back slightly before any contact could be made. You could hear him say your name in a quiet voice, no doubt questioning what just happened.
It was almost a good thing that the fatigue taking over your body had now combined with the copious amount of alcohol you consumed, because you didnât feel as embarrassed as you certainly would have if you were sober. ââM sorry, I know you donât feel that way.â
âAnd what way is that?â he asked, with a look on his face you couldnât quite read.
âLove,â you responded, as if it was obvious. "Haven't you figured out yet that I love you? Youâre so smart I thought it was obvious."
Rexâs face shifted, and he awkwardly ran his hand over the cropped curls at the top of his head. âWith the amount you drank this evening, you could have fallen in love with anyone.â
You huffed. âNo, I wouldnât have. You may think youâre nothing special, but that couldnât be further from the truth. Itâs cruel that the only time I got the courage to try and kiss you I wonât even remember it.â You did your best to keep your expression neutral, but you were sure the hurt on your face was visible.
There was a long bout of silence, and then Rex spoke. âIf you remember this conversation in the morning, we can have a do-over.â
You nodded at his words, the creeping tiredness you felt earlier now having taken over every part of your brain. It was heartbreaking really, how quickly you managed to fall asleep when he was near. And as Rex helped take off your shoes and made sure you were comfortable where you were laying, you couldnât help but think about how much you wanted to remember every single moment.
***
When you opened your eyes the next morning, you had one thought. It was all that you could focus on, the only thing you wanted to address in these first moments after your liquor-induced bacchanal of the previous night.
This room was too kriffing bright.
Squinting at the light coming in from the window, you groaned as you brought your hands up to your head, your brain spinning as all the memories came rushing back. The drinking, the dancing, Kix cutting you off and calling Rex to escort you home.
Rex.
You didnât have to look too hard to find the captain, he had fallen asleep on your couch. Something tugged at your heart when you saw him there, slightly too tall for the GAR-issued piece of furniture, but still he stayed to make sure you were okay. Then you remembered what he said right before you had fallen asleep, and your mind began to race as you turned away from him. Did he mean what he said, or was that simply something he told you in order to get you to stop talking to him? What if he thought it so unlikely that you would remember last night that he made a promise he never intended to keep? What if-
âI can practically hear you thinking from all the way over here,â a voice interrupted, as Rex yawned and got up off the couch. âIs everything alright?â
Maybe there was a way to broach the topic in a more sensible way, but your mind was not in a place to really make those plans at the moment. âI remember what you told me,â you blurted out, eyes wide. âIâm sorry if I made you uncomfortable, and you donât have to do anything if you donât want to. Youâre technically my superior, I wouldnât want to make anything awkwa-â
You didnât get to finish your thought before Rex had closed the gap between you and leaned in, placing his lips on yours. The kiss was timid at first, but you deepened it, pulling him closer to you as you smiled against his lips. You had imagined what it would be like to kiss Rex on multiple occasions, but nothing you had ever dreamed came close to the real thing.
When you had to break apart for air, you could see his pupils blown, and you were sure your lips were at least slightly swollen. âThank you,â you whispered, placing a soft kiss on his cheek. âFor taking care of me last night.â
âYou donât need to thank me,â he said softly. âI will always take care of you.â
âAnd I will always take care of you,â you said, reaching down to take his hand. âSpeaking of, how about we go back to bed? Sleeping on that couch could not have been comfortable.â
âCyare, that sounds like a wonderful idea.â
All the liquor you drank last night only continued to exact its revenge, but the pain dissipated more and more with every second you spent in Rexâs arms.
It is I, your Secret Santa. I have one or two questions regarding your gift, as I am finding some difficulty deciding exactly what to write for you.
One: Of the list of clones provided, is there any one or two you're particularly hopeful for/vibing with for the upcoming holiday season?
Two: Is there an overall mood you're hoping for? I see you mentioned whimsy in one of your prompts. I'm not very experienced when it comes to writing a whimsical mood, but I will certainly do my very best if that's what strikes your fancy! I'm always up for learning something new!
Warmest regards,
Secret Santa.
hi! i would say i probably lean more towards crosshair, hunter, or kix of the list i gave, but of course any of the others are lovely if those aren't vibing with you (after all, they did make the cut)
and when it comes to vibes, i would say i tend to gravitate towards things that are more light-hearted, but it doesn't have to be super saccharine if that's not your style. i went with those prompts because of their banter potential, if that makes sense! i tend to suggest either reading people's works or looking at what they've bookmarked/reblogged if you're stuck on what to write them :)
@ghostofskywalker have you seen the like button that turns into a jack-o-lantern on spooky posts yet? It works on posts tagged ghost!! It was made for you! đťđ
sign ups for the 2025 exchange are officially open, and will continue to be through october 25th!
the faq for the event can be found here and the rules can be found here, and you can find specific information about life day and what it could mean for fic here!
hereâs how the exchange will work:Â
1. Read over this post, reblog it to the blog you want to participate with, and fill out the sign up form linked below!!
When you sign up, youâll choose which of the clones you would like to receive an xreader fic about. Because this event is random, I require participants to at least be comfortable writing and reading for Rex, so no one gets an assignment they canât fulfill.
2. The day sign ups end, you will receive two emails from me:
Iâll be using a secret santa website to do the matching, so one email will come from that website, and it will tell you who you will be writing for. I can easily randomize the assignments this way, and it ensures that everyone has a match.Â
The second email will come from this blogâs event email ([email protected]) and it will have posting information, general information for the participants, and a document of all the prompts. Once you find out from the secret santa website who your person is, you just need to find them on the list to see your prompt and the characters you have the option of writing for.
3. You will have about seven weeks to write your fic, and the word minimum is 800 words. On December 13th (thatâs a Saturday), participants will post their fics to tumblr. Iâll send out more details about posting when the event gets closer, so donât worry about that. I will also put together a list of all the fics when the event is over, which will be linked on the blogâs pinned post with the other past exchanges.
you can sign up here!!
please feel free to reach out to me with any questions! hope to see you in the signups :)
tagging those who said they were interested: @toomanybandstocare
i was tagged by @captainsophiestark - thank you bestie!!
Favorite Color: green :)
Last Song: The Fate of Ophelia by Taylor Swift
Currently Reading: i haven't actually gone to the library to get it yet but i'm going to get the next book in the sebastian st cyr mystery series since things are finally getting less busy for me
Currently Watching: kind of alternating between scorpion and lucifer, both are very good so far
Currently Craving: pizza but with vodka sauce
Coffee or Tea: coffee! i really only drink tea if i'm sick
That's right, it's official! Sales for the Spooky Star Wars Zine and OC Hallowe'en Parade are OPEN! They'll remain open until November 7th, but what are you waiting for? Go get your zine bundle full of incredible art and writing now!
i was absolutely honored to contribute as a writer to @theclonewarszine, it is such an incredible project and i love that it celebrates the show that got me fully into my star wars obsession in the first place. as of today we can post our work, so here's my fic!!
How to Honor the Memory of Oneâs Fallen General (Even If He Isn't Actually Dead)
summary: Lost after the supposed death of their General, the 212th are given a few days of leave.
if you missed the pre-order period for the zine (or are just finding out about it now), leftover sales will be opening soon, so you can still snag a copy of this gorgeous zine - and all proceeds will go to UNICEF :)
and i keep my side of the street clean @ghostofskywalker - Tumblr Blog | Tumgag
